Education in America
American schools, both public and private, consist of 12 years of grades—basically 8 years of elementary school and 4 years of secondary or high school, although grades 7 and 8, or 7, 8 and 9 may be housed together in a middle school or junior high school. In addition, the elementary school offers five-year-olds a year of kindergarten, usually half-day sessions, before they have formal instruction in reading and writing in the first grade. In a few states two years of junior college (the first two years of higher education) or a vocational school are part of the public school system. Schooling is compulsory in most states to the age of 16.
美国的学校，无论是公立还是私立的，都有12个年级组成。其中包括8年的小学和四年的中学。但是7、8年级或者7、8、9年级都是在同一个中学里。另外，小学也会为五岁的孩子提供一年的幼儿园，在一年级正式开始进行阅读和写作的指导之前，每天会半天的时间学习。在一些州两年的小学（高等教育的头两年）或者职业学校都是公立学校系统的一部分。在许多州，到16岁学校都是进行的义务教育。
The public schools are administered by local school boards—groups of people elected by the voters. The board appoints the superintendent and sometimes participates in choosing the teachers, decides how school funds are to be allocated, and has some voice in establishing the curriculum. Local funds for the schools come largely from property taxes paid by residents of the local school districts. Thus the people of the entire community, not just the parents of the children who attend, pay for public schools, which are free and open to everyone.
公立学校是由一群被选民选出来的教育委员会所管理的。委员会委派负责
人，有时候也挑选老师，决定学校的资金应该怎么分配。同时，在建立课程时也会提出一些意见。用于学校的资金大多数来自于当地居民所交的财产税。因此是整个社区的人而不是一些孩子需要上学的家长才会为这个免费对所有人开放的学校交税。
In elementary school, all children in a given grade study the same thing. In junior high school the student may have a limited choice of subjects. In high school the choice is wider. While some subjects are required of everyone, some high school students, in addition, take vocational classes, and others study subjects that will prepare them for college. Students from both groups study under the same roof, each selecting courses according to his or her needs and interests. High school students commonly study four to five basic subjects per semester, each for approximately an hour a day. Additional courses, such as physical education, art, or music, may meet twice a week.
在小学，同一个年级的学生学习一样的东西。在中学，学生就会在学科选择上有一定的限制。在高中，选择就更宽广了。然而一些学科是每个人都需要学习的，一些高中生会为了升大学而去学习一些专业课程及其他的课程。在同一个教室里的学生会根据他或者她的需求或者爱好来选课。高中生一学期基本上学校四到五门课程每一门大约是一天一个小时。其他的课程，例如体育、美术或者音乐，都是一个星期两次课。
After high school a person may prepare for a particular vocation or occupation by attending vocational courses either in a junior college or in a privately supported training school such as secretarial or industrial school. Or a person may attend a college or university. Thy term “college”refers to an undergraduate institution that confers a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science degree after four years of study. A
university generally is a group of colleges, each serving a special purpose: a college of liberal arts, a college of business, a college of education, and the like. In addition, universities offer graduate programs. The Master of Arts degree occasionally may be obtained after one year of additional specialized study, although some institutions require longer study. The Doctor of Philosophy is the highest academic degree in the area of the sciences and humanities. Professional degrees in such fields as medicine and law are part of the program of graduate education.
高中毕业之后，他们一般会去参加一些专业课程培训，或者进入一些私立的培训学校，如文秘学校或者工业学校，为自己的职业或者工作进行准备。或者他们也可以直接进入学院或者大学，这里所说的“学院”是指本科文凭。他们经过四年的学习获得文士学位或者理士学位。一个大学总的来讲就是一群学院，每座学院都有特殊的教育目的：文学院，商学院，教育学院等等。另外，大学也提供研究生教育。一般来说，经过一年的专业教育之后就可以获得文科硕士学位，尽管一些研究所需要更长的时间学习。在生物学科和人文学科中，博士学位都是最高的学术学位。医学和法学的专业学位也在研究生教育的领域内。
Many colleges and universities are privately supported. Many have church affiliations. In each state, however, there is at least one university and often several colleges that receive support from state funds. Students in these schools, however, as well as those in private colleges, must pay tuition, but the state schools are much less expensive than private ones, particularly for students who are residents of the state.
许多学院和大学都是私人赞助的，它们大多数都有教会的背景。但是，在每个州都至少有一个大学和几座学院都会接受州政府财政的支持。这些学校的每个学生，和私立学校的学生一样都是要交付学费的。但是州立学校会比私立学校便宜得多，尤其是那些本来就是当地居民的学生。